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Wait for the Sound
stamp my feet into the dirt
a feeble mark on the earth
cast my voice into the air
i am here; is anyone?
scratch with nails into trees
it’s my name, it is not me
i am here. i am; is anyone?
now wait for the sound to return
a witness the sound can be heard
is anyone listening? is anyone with me?
slap the water, unshackled rage
all these hands make are tiny waves
but i am here. i am! is anyone?
across a canyon – between tall buildings
down a well – in this empty room
slap off the faces – streets of cement
walls of stone tell me i am
now wait for the sound to return
wait for the sound
Fake Divide
my heart beats; breath steady
this peace is deadly
walled in by the comfort
walled out, i can’t hear who suffers
a vain lie allures me
says i’m deserving
the veiled wage for trusting it
i make way for another’s suffering
it’s not enough to say i’m grateful
our fates are bound with chains
lulled to sleep by a siren song of peace
drowning out the stolen dreams
of those who won’t make it
as long as there’s a fake divide
i’m not running from scorched earth
not raising my arms for mercy
get my hands and feet to work
if some of us can’t make it
none of us will make it out alive
our house tilts, the foundation
was built on broken bones
if it falls while we’re sleeping
we’re all going down
it’s not enough to say “what a blessing”
we’re going to share a last breath
i’m not running from my own country
no i am not running now to save my life
i am not raising my hands up in a plea for mercy
not raising my hands up to break the strike
i’m not running to escape the famine
no i am not running now in search of life
i am not raising my hands up in a plea for mercy
not raising my hands up to break the strike
lulled to sleep by a siren song of peace
drowning out the stolen dreams
get my hands and feet to work
if some of us can’t make it
none of us will make it out alive
Stand and Look Up
a flutter in my belly, knew right away that it had changed me
never mind i was only thirteen
the thrill and devastation, what would i do for this elation
what sacrifice, to be swept off my feet
she felt it, too; he felt it, too
you felt it, too – didn’t you?
don’t we all stand and look up when the moon crosses the sun
every one of us, taken by wonder
don’t we all lay down and cry when the night swallows the sky
you and i are made from the same light
a jolt, a snap, i stumbled
the stone foundation shook and crumbled
everything i had trusted was dust
a hole opened inside me, i fell and fell and grabbed at nothing
did not believe i would ever get up
he felt it, too; she felt it, too
you felt it, too – didn’t you?
you and i are made from the same light
the same love – the same pain – the same dream
the same light
Take Away
take away your house
take away the curtains, lamps, and doors
your table, your couch
take away the rooms, the walls, the floor
take away your city
take away your street, your neighborhood
your flag and its country
take away the earth where it all stood
who are you now?
who are you?
take away your dress shirt
take away your lipstick and your beard
your ms and your mister
take away your plans, your past, your years
take away your skin
take away your color, shape, and frame
your money, your myths
take away your place, your time, your name
who are you now?
who are you?
i love who you are now
look around, we’re all emptied out
i love who you are now
only love
we’re all emptied out
Mistaken Home
i’m sorry i don’t have anything helpful to say
i only slept a couple hours, too afraid to awake
in a place i don’t know
a mistaken home
something was uncovered here
something we thought we buried
now the landscape’s unfamiliar
i won’t lie, sometimes it scares me
i’m sorry that the tears come unannounced like a flood
when re-remembering feels like a sucker punch to the gut
is it weird the fleeting moments i feel sort of alright
are when i recognize the helplessness in some stranger’s eyes
in this place we don’t know
our mistaken home
maybe you could hold me
and we could sleep a while
while the storm’s unfolding
we could stay inside
in this place we don’t know
our mistaken home
Clanging Cymbal
her face was in the news today
a window on a world away
from me sipping coffee at home
torn and tired, she risked her flight
in the cover of the night
i slept tucked in from the cold
don’t believe me when i say i love you
if today i say nothing at all
no one thought to ask his name;
‘cause don’t all those boys act the same
just one, two, and out goes a light
the sirens blend into the noise
but listening’s a privileged choice
for ears paired with faces like mine
don’t believe me when i say i love you
if today i have nothing to say
i’m warning you: my words cannot be trusted
if my lips are silent at this rage
i am just a clanging cymbal
i am just a noisy gong
if today i say nothing
i may sing in tongues of angels
but don’t mistake the song for love
if today i say nothing at all
Hello Dawn
how easy it was to believe everything was fine
how easily sleep came to me, just had to close my eyes
some things, once you see them, can never be unseen
now they haunt my sleep
how simple the world spun around, squarely east to west
a man puts a seed in the ground deserves what he gets
some things, once you learn them, cannot be unlearned
even though it hurts
hello dawn, chase out the night
the darkest dark: meet first light
morning comes to the horizon
on cracks of light when we open our eyes
how certain the story i heard, rehearsed in black and white
the comfort in staying so sure comes with a price
some things, once you know them, can never be unknown
and what you do, once you know, is forever yours to own
it’s yours to own
it was never easy, and certainty’s a lie
some children learn to sleep with wide open eyes
At Morning
night has fallen here
we who are awake
in the darkness feel
for a hand to take
like an anchor in rough seas, we are holding
for the tide to turn at morning
while it’s night we dream
speaking them out loud
against the waking fear
raining missiles down
circled ‘round the fire we keep embers burning
till the light returns at morning
let us see the earth
from a higher place
gaze at how it curves
spinning slow in space
ever toward justice and light, it is bending
faithfully it turns to morning
night has fallen here
we who are awake
cry our sister’s tears
bind the stranger’s pain
like an anchor in rough seas, we are holding
for the tide to turn at morning
Unraveling Rope
say it isn’t so
i could feel the ledge crack with every word you spoke
to, above all, you
i held out my hope like unraveling rope
it did not take hold
still, held out my hope
a soundproof pane of glass
separates your world from the one i understand
where do i belong?
a catechistic orphan, seeking her homeland
please say it’s not so
my home is not my home
say it’s not so
i saw them falling one by one
disappearing off the edge
had myself convinced that you
would not be tricked and follow them
and when you spoke, i watched you go
my heart sank down, its anchor lost
was it you who walked away
or was it i who wandered off?
i saw them falling one by one
jumping, gleeful, to the end
could not bear the thought of you
disappearing off the edge
everyone sets out to find
and to be found, everyone’s lost
was it you who walked away
or was it i who wandered off?
say it’s not so
please say it’s not so
i held out my hope like unraveling rope
How to Keep Moving
tell me how to keep moving
keep moving
i’ve seen you do it
teach me: where do i find joy
after the breaking point
i’ve seen you do it; i need to do it
keep moving
eyes to see the patch of green scratching up from concrete
defying the hostile earth
ears to hear melody answering shouts and screams
undying, eternal mirth
open mouth to taste the rain, washing all we’ve built away
a torrent, still sweet on the tongue
open heart, holding light for those with fists raised up to strike
a force yet to be undone
tell me how to keep moving
teach me: where do i find joy
after the breaking point
i’ve seen you do it
i need to do it
keep moving
all songs: words and music by Shannon Curtis
published by Shannon K (ASCAP)
all rights reserved; lyrics reprinted by permission